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Vampires
Vampires -- sometimes called Vampyr -- are the most common of the world's undead, and are largely able to blend in amongst humans undetected as they do not decay. They are unique in that they are classified as both Undead and Demon. In actuality, they are a breed of demon which can only exist on Earth if they possess the corpse of a victim. Origins According to the legends of the Watcher's Council, the first vampire was created when the Old Ones were leaving the Earth. One of the demons mixed its blood with a human, creating the first vampire. Vampires themselves have differing myths regarding their creation. Some believe that the first vampire was the Biblical Cain. It is believed that he became a vampire upon his death as a punishment from God for killing his brother. Others believe the legends told by the Watcher's Council, simply believing that Cain was the human who became the first vampire. Other vampires believe they are directly descended from Lilith, and that she was the first vampire. While it is likely true that vampires were created by Lilith, most outside of the vampiric cults devoted to her believe she was one herself. Another myth dictates that two brothers in Asia made a deal with the Devil, creating the first vampires. Whatever the case, it is known that the first vampiric race to appear on Earth was the Turok-Han. The first vampire, as we know them today, was the Alpha Vampire who still exists to this day. Since the first creation of vampires, several blood lines have formed. The origins of many of these blood lines are long since lost to legend, but some are still known. Some more recently created blood lines have been created with the use of blood magic spells and rituals intended to grant immortality. Originals, the eldest of any blood line of vampires, are among the strongest vampires in existence. Category:Demons Category:Undead Physiology Vampires are often described as "dead" because they do not need air to live and their hearts do not breathe, however the term undead is much more accurate since vampires must feed to surive and are able to move. Blood does circulate through the veins of a vampire, though this is believed to be through magical means. Vampires do produce some body heat, though it is significantly less than that of a living creature. Hair, fingernails and toenails also able to grow on the body and scalp of a vampire and must be maintained. Despite this, a vampire has no life force and so most supernatural beings are utterly unable to feed from them. Vampires, like humans, are able to cry, although vampire tears are blood instead of water. Diet Vampires are capable of eating and drinking ordinary food, and are capable of becoming intoxicated. Similarly, medication will be effective on vampires.They only receive nutrition through the digestion of mammalian blood, most especially that of humans. Vampires do not drink the blood of other supernatural creatures, including werewolves and demons. If a vampire does not feed for a prolonged time, they will grow physically weak. After this, they will begin to hallucinate and go insane. Eventually, though they will not die, a vampire will become little more than a living skeleton. Breath Although vampires do not need air to survive, their lungs do inhale and exhale. This is believed to be a leftover habit from life as a human. A vampire cannot be suffocated, but they can be rendered unconscious due to inhalation of water. Aging Although vampires do not age in the same way that humans do, they do age. As a vampire grows older, the demonic half of their appearance becomes more prominent and more permanent. Ancient vampires became more animalistic in behavior as well. Though this typically takes centuries, a defect in the Nosferatu Bloodline causes them to age much more rapidly than average vampires. Conversely, the vampire Godric has existed for millenia and still appears human, for reasons unknown. Behavior Upon siring, the human soul leaves the vampire's body. The demon within is extremely animalistic, as a result vampires often hiss and roar when angered, as though they were animals themselves. Despite lacking a human soul, strong parts of the human's personality will still remain within the vampire. These do not typically include feelings towards people or the same moral code they held in life, although they will have the memories of their human host. Vamp Face In the realm of Earth, vampires can maintain a human face. However, in battle or when feeding -- or by choice, the face of a vampire shifts. The eyes become yellow, and fangs emerge from the upper canines. Brow ridges emerge, as well. As mentioned above, when a vampire ages, this face becomes more permanent and defined. Powers and Abilities Superhuman Strength Vampires possess strength beyond that of an ordinary human. The strength of a vampire may vary, depending largely on the age and physical fitness of the vampire, they are all remarkably strong. This strength is, however, rarely on par with that of a Vampire Slayer. Superhuman Agility Vampires are more agile than the ordinary human, though not more agile than a Slayer. The agility, combined with the speedy reflexes of a vampire, create an inherent ability to excel in hand-to-hand combat in all vampires, even those who showed no propensity towards melee combat while human. Superhuman Speed Vampires are remarkably fast, able to move with lightning reflexes. They are also able to travel quickly on foot. To the untrained eye, a vampire moving with their incredible speed may appear to be a blur. However, once someone has become used to dealing with vampires, it becomes clear they are not truly that fast. In this area in particular, a vampire outmatches a Slayer. Using their remarkable speed, vampires are also able to scale buildings and other vertical surfaces. In extremely powerful vampires, this ability can be used in such a way that a vampire may be able to fly short distances, though this skill is incredibly rare. Heightened Senses A vampire has much more attuned senses than a human, able to hear farther and smell more accutely. They have sharper vision, and can see greater distances. Vampires can also sense the presence of a soul, and can smell many other types of supernatural beings. Healing Vampires heal rapidly from nearly all wounds, save those inflicted magically or with certain poisons. A minor wound can heal within seconds of being inflicted. Although much more rapid, a vampire heal in a very similar way to humans. In this way, a vampire can acquire scars from major injuries. It is believed that ancient vampires were able to regenerate entire limbs, although this ability has long since been lost. Resistance Vampires are largely resistant to injury or attack, and are all but immune to the natural powers of witches. They are also capable of withstanding incredible amounts of damage before needing to heal or admit defeat. Glamour The ability to hypnotize, or glamour, humans and some other supernatural creatures, such as werewolves, is common amongst vampires though not universal. It is theorized that all vampires have a gift for this ability, but only some have learned to use it. With proper training a vampire may use this skill to imitate the voice of another, erase memories, or even create a temporary thrall. Immunity to Disease and Poison Vampires are immune to nearly all diseases and poisons, with a few exceptions. Similarly, vampires are immune to pheromones, such as those secreted by a She-Mantis and are also not susceptible to infection by any other supernatural being, such as werewolves. Reflection Vampires cast no reflection in mirrors or other reflective surfaces. As a result of this, their thoughts cannot be heard by telepaths. Vampires will, however, be seen on camera and recordings as these function more like the human eye and not as much like a mirror. Magical Prowess Although most vampires do not practice magic, many vampires have a propensity to powerful magic -- particularly the magic of Gypsies and Blood Magic. Using magic has been known to give vampires skills such as shapeshifting (into bats, wolves, spiders, and mist), surviving a stake through the heart, telekinesis, telepathy, thought projection, et cetera. Vampire Blood The blood of a vampire, sometimes called Vitae, has many magical properties to it. When fed to a fresh victim of the vampire, it will cause a new vampire to be created. If the one drinking the vampire's blood is not dead, they will gain the quick healing properties of a vampire, and will also cause a euphoric high, sometimes accompanied by hallucinations. A psychic link will also be created between the vampire and the one who ingested the vitae. With enough blood, a person can become addicted to the blood. Due to the nature of the psychic link and the addiction, such a person may become a thrall of the vampire. Weaknesses Sunlight & Fire The light of the sun burns vampires, and prolonged exposure can be absolutely deadly. Vampires are also especially susceptible to flames and, if caught on fire, will be fully engulfed in a matter of seconds. Flames will kill a vampire. Holy Water Holy water will burn a vampire if it makes contact with the skin. If ingested, the vampire will perish. Crosses Crosses may repel vampires, and burn their skin if contact is made. Silver Vampires are burned by silver in much the same way that they are burned by crosses. Silver will also weaken a vampire. When a vampire must be restrained, silver chains is the most effective method. Disease While vampires are immune from nearly all diseases, Hepatitis-D may infect them. This will weaken a vampire for roughly a month's time while their system works to expel the illness. Killer of the Dead A mystical poison, the Killer of the Dead will induce fever and eventually kill a vampire. The only cure is the blood of a Slayer. Beheading If a vampire is beheaded, they will immediately be killed, or "dusted". Wood Wood pierces the flesh of a vampire with ease, most particularly Mountain Ash. A sharp piece of wood, such as a wooden stake, into the heart will kill a vampire instantly. Older vampires may require more wood than younger vampires in order to slay. Mountain Ash and Blackthorn wood are stronger against vampires, and can even cause them burning pain when stabbed into areas other than their hearts. Garlic The smell of garlic will repel vampires. It is presumed that they will suffer from ingesting garlic, however there is no documentation of what exactly will occur. Invitations Vampires may not enter a private residence without an explicit invitation. The invitation does not necessarily need to be given with the knowledge that the person is a vampire or given by the owner of the residence, merely be a resident within. The invitation may be revoked with a certain ceremony. The homes of supernatural beings are not protected. Exsanguination If a vampire is completely drained of their blood, they will become comatose and may die after a prolonged period. Magic Although immune to the inherent powers of born witches, spells work fully well on vampires. They are especially vulnerable to necromancy since they are, in fact, dead. Supernatural Blood Drinking supernatural blood can sometimes have highly negative consequences for vampires. Drinking the blood of werewolves will make a vampire incredibly ill. The blood of a maenad will cause choking and vomiting. Most other supernatural entities will taste horrible to a vampire. There are some exceptions to this, however. In a few cases, a vampire may gain extra powers from drinking the blood of a supernatural creature. Most of these creatures, such as fairies, possess blood that is highly addictive to vampires. Canines Dogs and other canines show an uncontrollable fear of vampires. Werewolves, while not terrified, will do their best to avoid vampires and will become particularly vicious when fighting them. They are the natural enemies of the vampire. Reproduction Siring To sire another the vampire, the parent vampire, called the "Sire" or "Maker", must drain the blood of its intended Childe and then force the dying victim to drink the Vitae of the Sire. The victim must not be dead, but must be at a point of death, in order for the transformation to occur. In some vampiric circles, this is called "the Embrace". Rebirth When a newly create vampire rises, or is "reborn" as it is sometimes referred to, they will arise at night as soon as the Vitae has had time to flow through their entire body. If a vampire is sired early enough in the night, this may take only a matter of several hours. Typically, however, the vampire will rise the following night. Initially, newly risen vampires find themselves disoriented. This leaves them feeling feral and hostile, and they will often attack the first thing they see. Shortly after, however, they find themselves connected to a feeling of magnificent, pure evil. They view this clarity as being connected to the entire earth, although in actuality it is believed to be the psychic connection that exists between a Childe and his or her Sire. Psychic Link Sires and Childers all have a psychic connection. This connection intensifies as they are physically closer to each other, however they will almost always know the rough location of the vampire at the other end of this link. Similarly, they are able to detect the emotional state of the other. The Sire and Childe may be able to appear in each others dream, and may even be able to have limited control over the dreams of the other. When the Sire or Childe is slain, the other will feel physical pain when the psychic connection is severed. In some rare cases, the connection is so strong that a vampire who is too physically close to their Sire will also die when the Sire is slain. Cure At least one group of hunters discovered a cure for vampirism, though it can only used before the new vampire has fed. The ritual requires the blood of the vampire's Sire. The reversion back to human is extremely painful, but appears not to have any other side effects. Vampire Society Vampires are largely independent creatures, often work alone or in small groups like packs. The leader of a pack is called the "master vampire", or sometimes the "vampire lord" or "vampire queen", with their followers being called minions or, sometimes, as acolytes. The master vampire is not necessarily the Sire of all his or her minions. On rare occasions, vampires will follow a being that is not a vampire. There are some larger factions of vampires, most of which operate around religious beliefs. These include: *The Order of Aurelius: a cult led by a vampire known as "The Master", seeking to bring the Old Ones back to the Earth. *El Eliminati: a cult of vampires following the demon Balthazar. *The Authority: a huge society of vampires, fancying themselves a system of government. They seek to subtly take over human society by becoming a part of it, and taking over from within. The Authority firmly believes Lilith was the original vampire. The Authority has claimed territory across the United States, setting regions up with a Magistrate and a King or Queen, who place Sheriffs to rule each area of their region. The Authority is mainly active on the East coast of the United States. *The Camarilla: similar to the Authority, though the Camarilla seeks to remain completely secret from human society. The Camarilla rejects all stories about the creation of vampires as myths. The Camarilla has not claimed as much territory as the Authority, and are mostly active on the West coast of the United States. *The Sabbat: a cult of vampires that believes Cain was the original vampire, they believe they are the Army of Cain and will destroy the Antediluvions when Gehenna arrives. They are enemies of the Camarilla and of the Authority, as they would much sooner reveal themselves to humans and enslave them. *Some bloodlines have formed loose clans, sometimes within other organizations and sometimes separate from them. Bloodlines Some vampire families, called bloodlines, are very distinctive versus the average vampire. The reasons for this are unknown. The most notable bloodlines are below: *Giovanni: this bloodline, especially, has formed its own clan. They are practitioners of necromancy, primarily concerned with accruing wealth and mystical power. Some of those considered members of the clan are still human, and therefore are not truly a part of the bloodline. *Gangrel: vampires from the Gangrel bloodline are particularly feral, and seem to be able to communicate on some telepathic, possibly subconscious level, with animals near them. *Malkavian: for unknown reasons, the act of siring a vampire within this bloodline will cause the vampire to lose their mind. All members of the Malkavian bloodline are completely insane. Many Malkavians are seers and oracles. *Nosferatu: vampires of the nosferatu are masters of hiding and obtaining information, and often serve the supernatural world as information brokers. Unfortunately, they age rapidly compared to other vampires and often appear completely demonic. *Tremere: the vampires of the Tremere bloodline are experts in blood magic. *Ventrue: the aristocracy of the vampire world, the Ventrue are refined and intelligent. However, drinking from anything other than a human with clean, pure blood will upset the delicate digestion of the Ventrue, causing them to vomit. There is a list of all the known bloodlines. Movements Two known political movements have emerged amongst vampires, primarily as reactions against the Authority and the Camarilla. *The Anarch Movement: the Anarchs do not believe vampires need to be governed at all. Most members of the Anarch Movement are entirely independent and some will refuse to join nests at all. *The Sanguinista: the Sanguinista believe that staying secret from human is the best chance of survival for humans. They operate in small nests, believing that smaller groups are easier to hide from prying human eyes. Thin Bloods Sometimes, a Childe rises and is far weaker than the average vampire in all respects. These vampires, called Thin Bloods, are shunned from vampire society. Other Races There are some vampiric races that are not vampires in the strictest sense. Any vampiric race may be referred to as Kindred by a vampire. These races include: *Zompires: occasionally, a Childe is sired and, for reasons as of yet unknown, the being raised is not a vampire but is, instead, a Zompire. Unlike vampires, a zompire is not sentient. They are feral creatures driven by instinct. They may be killed like any other vampire. Unlike vampires, however, they will also decay at a normal rate. *Turok-Han: an ancient vampiric race that predates vampires, they have long since disappeared from the Earth. They are much stronger, tougher, and harder to kill than vampires and are capable of regenerating limbs. *Kuei-Jin: though vampiric in nature, the Asian undead creature called the Kuei-Jin has a lot in common with ghosts. They are created when a criminal or someone who died a violent death escapes the afterlife and returns to the land of the living. Known Vampires *The Master *Luke *Darla *Jesse McNally *Thomas *Angel Sources Of the various source materials, vampires appear in: *Buffy the Vampire Slayer *Supernatural *True Blood *Being Human (US) *Lost Girl *Charmed *White Wolf: Classic World of Darkness Category:Demons Category:Undead